Glimmer of Green
by walkingwithgiants
Summary: *Hiatus/Random Updates* People usually fall in love, but sometimes love rolls into your office wearing spandex shorts and holding a bicycle helmet. Having a package delivered never looked so good. A collab with LucyLiterate.
1. Chapter 1

Mariana (moi): Hi everyone! I'm so excited about this collaboration with the lovely, LucyLiterate! We'll be posting once a week on each of our profiles. I'd like to thank our wonderful beta, HollettLA, and our prereader, Nuttyginger, for all their help.

Lucy: Hello, like Mariana, I am so excited to be writing this story. This will be my fist multi-chapter fic and my first venture in more than just kinky fun ;-) I hope you enjoyed reading our story, if you did leave us some love. If you didn't, tell us about that too.

Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, blah blah blah. We own the sexy beast known as Bikeward.

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><p>"Watch it!" an old man hissed when we bumped shoulders, passing alongside each other under the same awning.<p>

I turned to look at the bitter-faced man and rolled my eyes, pressing my purse closer to my chest. On mornings like these, with light rain, grumpy people, and high heels, a small part of me regretted the day I decided to uproot my life. I'd like to say that only every once in a while I would find myself asking what in the heck I'd been thinking when I chose to move to the cloudiest city in the United States- Seattle, Washington.

In reality, I pondered my decision just about every day, especially when I had to walk a couple of blocks from the parking garage to my office building.

It wasn't that I'd been overly fond of the greater San Francisco or Sacramento areas, but the sunshine I'd taken for granted. I missed the warm sun on my skin, and the cool breeze that would blow off the harbor. I would even go as far as to say that I missed the hot, sticky breezes that would make me want to shower again. But this... I wasn't used to the constant gray skies or the drizzle. For the first month I lived in Seattle, it seemed that every time I decided to straighten my hair, I'd get caught in light rain without an umbrella. I went to work looking like Carrot Top's sister, well, without the orange-ish hair and weird bone structure.

Only after my boss, who I affectionately call a jerk, called me Medusa, and then asked me if my hair was trying to imitate ZZ Top's beard, did I wise up and start carrying around an umbrella in my purse permanently. It's not that it didn't rain a good deal back in California where I'd grown up and went to college, but I also hadn't had to walk very far each day other than from building to building.

The only upside I'd found to my new city, was that my apartment was larger than the one I'd shared back at Berkeley and also less expensive. Parking was also a little better as long as you stayed out of downtown. Unfortunately, it was impossible for me to avoid downtown, since it's where my office was located. Either way, I tried to be optimistic and most days I was. I'd only been in the city for about six months and every day it felt a little more like home. I was being literal when I said "a little."

The small office building for my company, well, not actually _my _company, but the one I worked for, loomed in the near distance. The building had been some type of factory about fifty years ago but had been renovated completely on the inside, now housing Masen Peter, one of the leading architectural firms in Seattle. The practice was small, but the magnitude of talent within the walls of the building was unreal. I'd been beyond lucky to land such a great job. Even though it was an entry level position, but the potential at my fingertips was enough to put some pep in my step.

I just needed to survive my time as an architectural associate, or as my boss's assistant fondly referred to my position: Everyone's Bitch.

After closing my umbrella, hiking up the first flight of steps to the building and punching in my key code to unlock the door, I didn't even bother to pause in the waiting area outside our offices. Brightly lit white walls surrounded the small area which contained two low, black couches and framed pieces of modern artwork. The ceilings were high and vaulted, giving an old feel to the newness that radiated from the walls. Looping around the wall that separated the waiting area from the employees on the other side, I beelined for my desk, which was more of an old drafting table with a laptop shoved underneath it.

Hardly anyone was in so early, it was barely ten to eight in the morning, and most people didn't start trickling in until closer to nine. My grandma, God rest her soul, had quoted Shakespeare to me my entire life, raising me with the idea, "Better three hours too soon, than one minute too late." Although there was no way in hell, I was getting to work at five in the morning, I made an effort to get to work before I needed to be. I may have also been hoping that someone took notice of my punctuality and took that into account when my yearly review came up. There was no way I was going to stay an AA longer than I needed to.

"PYT!" a sharp voice called out.

I shook my head, recognizing both the voice and the originator of my nickname immediately. She had started calling me Pretty Young Thing the first time I settled down at my desk and my ringtone had gone off with Michael Jackson's Thriller blaring from the speaker. Turning my head, I caught sight of a tall, feminine body making its way towards me. The woman was possibly the most beautiful female I'd ever seen in my life. When we went out for lunch, the mass stares she got from strange men seemed to express the idea that I wasn't the only one who thought the same. I smiled at the blonde, who smirked with each step she took on her path to my desk.

"Hey," I responded to her, dropping my purse onto the floor, and then kicking it under the table. "I didn't think you were coming in."

Rosalie Hale, my coworker and closest friend since moving to Seattle, stopped just a few feet in front of me, balanced smoothly on her four-inch heels. She'd left the day before with a stomach virus, claiming she was vomiting, but I was the only one who knew the truth. She'd gotten the runs from eating a burrito she found in the fridge. A burrito that didn't belong to her. I told her it was karma. "I'm fine now, either way, there's a proposal I need to finish for Emmett before the end of the day. He would've been riding my ass about it if I would've stayed at home."

I couldn't help but snort. "I'm sure he would've been _riding your ass_ about it," I laughed. "All night, I bet."

She didn't even have the decency to blush, instead settling for a smile and winking. Emmett McCarty was our boss. The youngest partner in the firm, he reigned over just about every employee on our floor. Rose was his personal assistant and secret girlfriend. While there wasn't any stipulation in our employment contract stating that fraternization was frowned upon, they decided to keep quiet about it since he was her direct supervisor. I knew that most larger companies were adamant about the issue, but I could only assume that the issue wasn't brought up because we were smaller. Also, I had a feeling that their late night work sessions would be sorely disrupted if anyone found out that they really didn't get anything done after hours.

"I'm going to get started on that crap; come get me for lunch," she ordered.

I nodded at her. "Okay."

Focusing on the drawings I needed to finish preparing by lunch time, time flew by as I made the necessary adjustments before showing them to Emmett for final approval. I enjoyed the hands-on feeling of doing the drawings, even though for the last six months they had me solely running around helping prepare the 3-D models or getting them approved. After finishing the last detail that had caught my eye, I rolled up the prints and hiked them all of twenty steps to Emmett's office. Rosalie was sitting at her desk with her long legs crossed off to the side, while she scribbled away on a Post-It.

"Can I go in there?" I asked her quietly, in case he was busy.

Rosalie cocked a blonde eyebrow at me and shrugged. "Are you kidding me? He's probably playing Minesweeper. Go right on ahead."

I grinned and took a few steps to pause at his door, knocking lightly on the heavy ebony door. Emmett McCarty was sitting at his desk, biting his cheek, and staring _too_ intently at the screen. Yep, he was definitely playing Minesweeper. Not that he was lazy by any means, but half the time I swear he just sat around waiting for something to approve. It was a testament to his natural leadership abilities and talent that at only thirty he was already in a senior position. Hazel eyes turned in my direction for a split second before returning to the big monitor in front of him, "One sec," he gasped while clicking on his mousepad rapidly. A minute later, he exhaled loudly and fully turned his attention back on me. "Sorry about that, Bella, I just wanted to finish that level. What's going on?"

Passing the drawings to him, I plopped into the seat on the other side of his desk. "I'm done; I just want you to approve them so I can send them off."

"Let's take a look, little missy," he said, unrolling the paper and setting it out on top of his desk. "Okay... all right... this is good..." he mumbled.

My face flushed, and I swear, twenty pounds were lifted off my chest. This was the first time I'd been given the task of the drawings, and I'd been, at least subconsciously, really nervous about doing them correctly. "Hooray," I said weakly, more to myself than to him, when he kept nodding in approval.

"Good work," Emmett praised, rolling the paper back up. "They're ready to send off. Put them in a tube and call the courier for delivery."

I nodded, but then froze. "What's the number for the courier?"

He shrugged; at six foot four and weighing easily over two hundred pounds, Emmett looked ridiculous when his huge shoulders lifted up and his lips went thin and straight in a look of unknowing. "Ask Rose, I have no clue."

"All right," I told him before leaving his office and stopping at the side of Rosalie's desk. She had her back turned to me, while she typed something furiously into her computer. "Hey, can you give me the number to the courier?"

"Sure," she said before stopping her keyboard stomping. Flicking through her Rolodex- I kid you not, she used a Rolodex at Emmett's insistence- she handed me a small card. "Just call the company, tell them to come pick it up here, give them the address, your name, and to bill us for the service."

"I will," I said a little too eagerly. To say that I was excited about getting approval on the architectural drawings I'd prepared on the first try was an understatement. Now I just needed to send them off.


	2. Chapter 2

Mariana (moi): Hi everyone! Thank you all for your wonderful support of GoG! As always, a big thank you to our beta HollettLA and our prereader Nuttyginger, for their amazing help. Enjoy!

Lucy: Tell us what you think and we will see you next week! Love, Lucy

Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight. We do own this sexy mofo (I swear I rarely use the word mofo in real life).

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><p>"Dude."<p>

"Give me a sec."

Exactly three seconds passed. "Dude."

I glanced over at the man standing in the doorway to my office. My best friend and best employee were both rolled into one lanky, annoying frame. "I wasn't being literal, asshole. Give me a minute to finish typing this email before I forget what I was trying to..." I was looking at my computer screen again, keeping an eye on the words displayed in front of me. _And_... my mind was blank.

The email I'd been putting off for weeks was mocking me. Half-completed, the words partied in front of my eyes, teasing me wickedly. I'd been putting off responding to three applicants for weeks now. The ad I'd posted in the newspaper and on craigslist had brought in over twenty applications for the available messenger position. In a few words, the ad had demanded experience, and while ninety-five percent of the applicants had _some_ kind of experience riding bikes- whether it be competitively, or as a couple of the applicants had admitted, seasoned BMX riders- there was _always_ that handful of people who ignored what they didn't want to see. I had one applicant that couldn't _ride_ a bike, but was "willing to learn."

You have got to be kidding me.

My job, _my business_, revolved around experience and professionalism, and these people wanted me to hire them full time for deliveries? I'd snorted and called both Esme and Jasper into the office to read the most ridiculous of the applications. It wasn't that I was an asshole, because I wasn't. My parents didn't raise me to belittle other people or make myself feel superior to anyone, but _seriously?_ I clearly put in the ads that I needed someone with experience, so the three applicants who were blatantly out of their minds kind of deserved it. At least that's what I told myself to beat back the guilt of getting a good laugh at their expense.

"Dude."

The tips of my fingers instinctively flew to the center of my forehead in a pathetic attempt at holding the stress headache at bay. "What, Jasper?"

He had the nerve to scoff. "No attitude needed, man," he said indignantly. "I was just wondering if you had seen my sunglasses."

"No, I haven't. When was the last time-" I happened to look up in the middle of my question, but this time I was really paying attention, and I couldn't help but bark out a laugh. Jasper had taken a few steps into my office and was looking around for what I could only assume were his glasses. I laughed again, earning me a frown. "They're on your head, genius."

Jasper froze, his long arms out to the sides, looking more like a surfer riding an imaginary wave rather than a retired, professional cyclist. Tan and blonde, he definitely resembled a California native instead of a Seattle resident. "Are you kidding me?"

I laughed again and shook my head, pointing at the sunglasses that were resting on top of his hair. "Definitely not." In his defense, although I would never admit it, if my hair was the same level of mess that his was, I'd probably lose my glasses too.

His hands went tentatively to his head, feeling around his hairline first before bouncing around and landing on the frames. Jasper grumbled, pulling them down. "Don't say anything," he mumbled, sheepishly.

"Nothing?" I snorted.

"No."

"All right," I responded. Two seconds later, I laughed and threw a pen in his direction. "You're an idiot."

He scowled at me before turning around to walk out of my office and adding, "You're a dick." Jasper raised an arm and waggled three fingers at me, disappearing around the corner.

Looking at the clock on my computer screen, I saw that it was close to lunchtime already. Putting my computer to sleep, I headed out of my office and into one of the two only other rooms in our office - the break room. It was empty like I expected, since our receptionist didn't take her lunch break until after I did, and Eric was off today. Pulling out my two Tupperware containers from the fridge, I sat at the big table that dominated the entire span of one of the walls and plopped down, tearing into my lentil salad and side of broccoli, carrots, and diced apples with abundance. We'd been busier than normal, and I'd skipped my morning snack, so it was coming back to bite me in the ass.

In less than twenty minutes, I'd eaten the huge portion of my lunch and felt good. Even though I was stuffed, I didn't feel like a complete piece of bloated shit. Despite the fact that I wasn't raised eating a whole bunch of processed foods, I knew from watching other people guzzle them down that they tended to make you feel like crap. Considering I rode my bike about thirty to fifty miles a day just during the work week alone, the last thing I'd ever want would be to have stomach cramps or in need of a restroom for shitting purposes while on a strict timeline.

"What are you eating?" The familiar soft voice- the one I referred to as the sole reason why Green Couriers got any business -wondered from the doorframe.

I couldn't help but look up at the small brunette making her way over to my side of the table, peering intently at the nearly empty container sitting in front of me. Her pretty face was focused on trying to decipher what exactly my lunch was, a daily game she'd developed since we'd met so many years before. "Lentil salad, do you want some?"

Esme, our resident receptionist, part-time office manager, customer service representative, and my sister-in-law, grabbed the fork from my hand the moment the words were out of my mouth. She speared a few lentils, a piece of carrot, and celery, and plopped it into her mouth. She chewed her food slowly and narrowed her eyes. A moment later, she speared some more salad onto the fork and ate another bite. "That's really good, Edward."

"Remind me and I'll send you the recipe," I told her, wiping the fork on my napkin.

She let out a little groan while watching me wipe off my fork. "I just wanted to tell you that someone from Masen Peter called for a nonstop to Volturi Construction."

I nodded, swallowing my second to last serving of lunch. "That's fine; I'll be ready to go in ten minutes."

The phone at the front desk started ringing, filling the hallway and connecting rooms with the obnoxiously loud tone. Esme huffed before running out to answer the call. I couldn't count the number of times that I'd offered to buy her a headset, only to have her decline. She complained about feeling claustrophobic wearing one. Frankly, I didn't bother questioning it. I knew her well enough to know that if she wanted something, she wouldn't hesitate to ask me.

After finishing off my food and rinsing my dishes to take them back home later, I grabbed my helmet and bag from the small room where we kept all the extras we'd ever need: everything from bike parts to extra messenger bags, locks, duct tape, rain ponchos, a first aid kit - all kinds of things.

Esme was on the phone when I made it into the small lobby where her desk was. She was talking on the phone and writing down who knows what. Esme handed me the delivery information and receipt to take with me, and I grabbed my beloved Sycip bike from the rack we had stationed across from the reception desk and wheeled it out of the office. I looked over the information on the pickup and delivery; Masen Peter was one of our regular customers. I was well acquainted with the building and some of the employees, even though Jasper was usually the one assigned to that part of downtown. The only problem was that since we were short-staffed, I couldn't afford to be picky about who did what side of town for now.

A couple of minutes later, I had my helmet on, messenger bag strapped to me, and was settled on my bike seat heading toward the Masen Peter building. It had taken years, but the light rain didn't bother me so much anymore while I biked. It was only during a downpour that I'd bother putting on a poncho. My immune system was in such good shape that the risk of getting sick from being wet was slim. Ever since I'd switched my diet to a completely vegan lifestyle, I could only recall getting sick once. Jasper had been to blame for the mono that had taken over my life; it was the last time I'd shared a drink with him and that had been three years ago.

There weren't very many people on the roads at this time of day considering it was past the usual lunch hour and before most got off work, so I was able to get around without any major obstacles. In no time, I was pulling up to the old factory building and locking my bike to the parking meter closest by. I felt that my compression shorts had ridden up my legs, so I pulled at the material of each leg and looked at the delivery information.I didn't recognize the name of the employee who requested the pickup, it was an _Isabella Swan_, but I didn't think anything of it while I jogged up the stairs with my helmet in one hand.

I pressed the intercom button and put in the extension code for Isabella's desk, letting it ring.

A second later, the intercom beeped with her answer. "This is Bella Swan," a female answered in a soft voice.

"Hi, this is Edward with Green Couriers. I'm here for your pickup."

There was a pause that lasted a beat too long before she answered. "Oh! I'll be right there. Thank you."

The buzzer went off a second later, unlocking the door for me to make my way in toward the reception area where I usually met whoever had called in for a pickup, or whichever employee I had a delivery for. The office seemed quieter than normal while I paced the room, not bothering to sit down because it usually made my legs stiff, even if it was only for a few minutes. In less time than I expected, I heard the clicking of footsteps on the hardwood floors. I knew from experience going around the dividing wall that the rest of the building was floored in concrete.

"I'm sorry that took me... _oh_, umm... forever," the same voice that I'd spoken to minutes before called out.

Looking up, I caught sight of a young brunette making her way toward me. She was pretty, like really pretty. My eyes focused in on the fact that she was blushing. "It's fine," I told her.

She stopped just a couple of feet away from me with her pink cheeks and long ponytail, holding a cardboard tube between her restless hands. "Uhh...thanks for coming," she said, thrusting the tube in my direction, but somehow dropping it before I'd even extended my hand out to take it. "Sorry," she groaned.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little at her. "It's fine."

She swiped her hand down her face, as if in frustration, and sighed. "I'm a mess, I'm sorry. It's my first time."

"Really?" I asked her without even thinking. There was no doubt in my mind I had a huge smirk on my face, but I couldn't help it- she left that comment _wide_ open.

Her dark eyes went wide before she snorted, slapping a hand over her face and blushing even more. "Oh gosh," she snorted. "I need to stop talking now. Do you need me to sign anything?"

I smiled and nodded, handing her the receipt I'd stashed in the strap pocket of my bag along with a pen. "Just sign on the first X and put down the time, please."

Isabella Swan took the paper from me, shaking her head as she looked around for a flat surface to sign on. I kept watching her while she walked over to the coffee table by the sofas and squatted down to sign the receipt. It was impossible not to notice the curve of her hips and her healthy, but slim figure underneath her tight skirt and button-down shirt. She had to be a new employee, or at least a recently hired employee, for it to be her first time calling Green. I was familiar with most of the regular employees who dealt with us, and I knew if Jasper would have seen her, he would've come back to the offices hollering about the young, pretty girl working here. We were all well aware of Rosalie, the other attractive female who worked at Masen Peter, but she had shot down Jasper with a vengeance. Rosalie was kind of a legend back at our offices for the way she'd handled Jasper's not so subtle advances.

"Anything else?" the girl in front of me asked.

"That's it, ma'am. I'll take it from here."

She groaned and shook her head. "Please don't call me ma'am. It's Bella."

I don't know what it was about the cute girl introducing herself to me that made me smile at her. "I'm Edward, Bella. It's nice to meet you."

We stood there staring at each other for a couple of seconds, before she blushed and took a step back. "I should probably let you get back to work," she said.

"Good idea." I slipped the tube under my arm, taking a step backward in the direction of the door.

Bella smiled at me, waving with a waggle of her fingers. "Bye."

I put my helmet on top of my head loosely and nodded my head. "Bye."

Finally turning around to slip out of the door, I jogged back down the steps and fastened my helmet on securely before putting the tube into my messenger bag. I unlocked my bike and jumped onto it a moment later, pedaling in the direction of the Volturi offices. I saw a girl on my way over with long brown hair and couldn't help but think of the pretty, blushing brunette back at Masen Peter. Since Jasper had never mentioned Bella before, I couldn't resist being slightly pleased that I'd met her before Jasper.

It didn't take me long to make the drop at Volturi. Once I was back outside, I made sure I hadn't missed any calls from Esme and then got back onto my bike and headed back to our offices. It wasn't raining at all anymore, but there was significantly more pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks while I slipped between passing cars, occasionally jumping the curb to avoid stopping behind cars at red lights. When I recognized the building Green worked out of, I hopped off my bike and walked the rest of the way to our doors. I'd made the mistake once, years ago, of riding my bike all the way up to the door and had almost hit a customer coming out of the antique store next door.

Esme was sitting at her desk when I made my way in, setting my bike into its normal spot. "Edward," she hissed. "Eric just called and said that he has the flu. He won't be able to make it in tomorrow."

I groaned, unfastening the buckle on my helmet. Eric was Green's part-timer. The kid was nineteen and a great employee, but he had the worst immune system on the planet. He seemed to get sick once a month. "Okay, just split his orders sixty-forty between me and Jasper," I tried to say coolly, but I was really freaking out. It was crazy enough between the three of us, but now that we were down to two people, it became downright chaos. All Esme's comment did was remind me that I needed to get in contact with the applicants who had some chance of working out as soon as possible. "I'll be in my office; I need to call a few of the guys who applied."

"No girls?" Esme asked with a hopeful tone in her voice.

I couldn't help but smirk. Even though she loved the three of us, I knew she was craving a female companion to balance out all of our testosterone. Unfortunately for her, the only woman who had applied was the one who barely had any experience riding. I shook my head and shrugged. "No, Es. Sorry, but you know I won't hire any douche bags."

"I agree, working with three is enough," she snickered.

"Oh, whatever," I laughed.

Esme blinked her hazel eyes in my direction innocently before smiling. "Want to come over for dinner tonight?"

I narrowed my eyes at her invitation. It wasn't unheard of to get invited to dinner, but each time she'd invited me in the past there had been a reason. That reason usually being a blind and unexpected date. It was a surprise to say the least, to go over to my brother's house in sweats, only to find a girl who knew more about you than some friends waiting for you. "You aren't trying to set me up again, right?"

"No," she moaned. "I promised Carlisle I'd stop."

"Okay, I'll be there," I answered. "Email me if you need me in case I'm on the phone, Es."

She nodded before I turned around and headed toward the back of the offices. After dropping off my belongings, I booted up my computer and went through the five applicants that seemed the most qualified to hire on. Rehearsing my speech in my head, I picked up the phone and dialed the first applicant's phone number. The stress from finding out that Eric was out sick for God knows how long was creeping through my neck, pressuring me into finding a new employee as soon as possible.

When the other end finally picked up, I took a deep breath before speaking into the line. "Hi, can I please speak to James Foster?"

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><p>Feel free to follow me (Mariana) on Twitter for updates and other fun stuff: http :  www . twitter . com / marianazapata_


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy: Hi guys let me know your thoughts and feeling. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. See you next week :-)

Mariana (me): Hey guys! Hi everyone! Thank you all for your amazing support of Glimmer of Green and our beloved Bikeward. Our mistakes are our own. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight, but you know this. We own Bikeward!

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><p>I watched as the most beautiful specimen of a man walked away and hopped on his bike. Knowing he couldn't see me through the tinted windows, I watched as he rode down the street. When I had come around the corner, I was certainly not expecting to find an Adonis in spandex standing in the lobby. The definition of delivery boy had forever been changed from a pimply, sweaty teenager to a lick-worthy Greek god in my mind. For the first time in my life, I wished I had more sexual prowls. I imagined Rosalie would have walked up just inches from his rain splattered body and asked if he had any other packages for her. Somehow she could have managed to make that sound sexy. I, on the other hand, would sound creepy and slightly demented. Not that I have zero confidence, but the in-your-face sex appeal had never been my thing. I turned around to head back to my office, smirking to myself that at least I ONLY muttered like an idiot and didn't trip over my own feet to accidentally grab his package, when Rose came around the corner carrying my jacket and purse.<p>

"We're going to lunch," she said with an air of authority that she certainly did not possess.

I glanced at the clock near the entrance seeing that it was well passed noon and realizing I hadn't eaten. I was so worked up over my prints earlier in the day that eating just didn't seem to be important.

"Rose, I can't just leave. Unlike you I'm not holding my boss' balls in my hand."

"Yes, but lucky for you I am. I already cleared it with Emmett. He wants us to bring him something back. Which means I am using the company card."

"Why doesn't he just come with us?"

"Something about mastering the next level, I don't know. He talks, I nod and smile. It's why our relationship works so well."

Rose always talked as if her feelings for Emmett were less than significant. However, I knew how much they both adored each other. I was actually expecting them to get engaged fairly soon. Rose on more than one occasion had mentioned that having a "shit ton" of babies was a dream they both had in common. Slipping on my jacket and sliding my arm through hers we exited the building.

Since the rain had stopped we decided to walk the few blocks to a deli that specialized in serving a wide array of sandwiches, salads, and soups. Not only did they try to use only locally grown, organic produce, they also only carried free-range meats. While Rose tended to roll her eyes at my desire to be more earth conscious, I was proud knowing I was supporting a small business that gave back to it's community and still provided delicious, hearty meals. As Rose perused the selection of fresh breads and cheeses, I ordered the white bean and vegetable soup with a cold cous cous salad for myself, and the ham and swiss on rye and a garden salad for Rose. After getting our drinks we found a table near a window overlooking the busy streets of Seattle.

"So did you get your prints picked up?"

I guessed she noticed the goofy grin that crossed my face because before I could even answer Rose was on me like a bloodhound.

"Oh, please tell me you aren't going on a date with that damn delivery guy. He is fucking relentless. And I'm sure he has the clap or something because he sleeps with everything that has a warm, pink center."

I starred at her in complete amazement. I wasn't sure if I should be repulsed or jealous of the fact that she knew very personal information about my sexy deliveryman.

"Rose, please tell me how you know this?" I asked in an amused voice.

"Every time he comes in he attempts to hump my leg like a dog." Rose proceeded to ramble about the many attempts my deliveryman had made to get her in bed.

"Well just so you know, no, I am not going on a date with anyone. I just thought he was good-looking. Incredibly good-looking. Of course there must be something wrong with me because he certainly didn't attempt to, how did you phrase it? Hump my leg?"

"Maybe Jasper was having an off day because you are exactly the kind of woman I would entice into my bed, that is, if I liked eating tacos." Rose wiggled her eyebrows suggestively to exaggerate her point.

"Well thank you Rose, but his name wasn't Jasper. It was Edward."

Just as Rose opened her mouth to question me more our food was ready. We ate in companionable silence enjoying the light spotting of sun coming thru the deli window. While it was still windy and cold from the earlier rain you could almost pretend the weather was nice during these rare moments of sunshine. It was times like this when I didn't miss California so much. Having made good friends to share warm lunches with made up for the lack of sunny days.

"Bella, can I ask you a question?" I glanced at Rose and noticed the sincerity in her eyes.

"Of course."

"I don't want to pry or seem rude, but what's the deal? This is honestly the first time I've even heard you mention a man in anything other than a platonic way. If I'm out of line just say so, but I don't understand why you are single."

This was an area where Rose and I differ. She wanted a husband to take care of her and make her a mother. Having a career was a means to an end, a necessary evil in her opinoin. I never thought about those things. I'd dated in the past, and had been very serious with a guy, up until I chose to move here, but living my life dream of becoming an architect was always what I had wanted. If a husband and kids fit into that life then I would be happy, but if not then I'd be fine with that too.

"I haven't always been single. I just haven't found someone that accepts the things I want in life. I'm not looking. If I meet someone great, if not, I'm happy spending my time working and meeting great new friends." I really didn't want to get into my immediate past. Thinking about Jared and our breakup still made me sad. Not because I missed him so much, but I had been so wrong in thinking he supported my dreams and me. It was a lesson learned the hard way.

My answer seemed to satisfy her because an evil glint came to her eye.

"But what about sex! Don't you want to get laid?"

"Of course I miss sex but I'm not going to just have random one night stands. Besides that is why I have a fabulous Evolved vibrator with a multispeed function." I laughed.

"I don't care what kind of toys you got in your kink drawer nothing beats a hot man with good moves," she paused, "Besides, aren't you ever lonely?"

Was I lonely? I didn't think so.

"What about Garrett? I know he's asked Em about you a few times during their golf outings." Garrett was another architect for the company but he worked out of branch office.

"Doesn't Garrett have a baby on the way with his sometime girlfriend Kate?" I asked with not just a little bit of disgust.

"I didn't say marry him, but if your looking for casual…"

"I'm not looking for anything." And as the words slipped from my mouth I saw an ad for Green Couriers, on the side on a public bus, drive past the window. Something in my mind told me that maybe I wouldn't mind having someone to look at if he had green eyes, disheveled bronze hair, and thighs that were carved from marble.

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><p>I stared at the ceiling exhausted but unable to sleep. I couldn't turn off my mind, and I blamed Rose with her pestering ways. I tried to convince myself that she didn't know what she was talking about. I wasn't lonely. I was happy with my life, great friends, my dream career, and nothing or no one to hold me back. Even after we returned from our lunch, she kept on me about dating or finding a man. She said she didn't want to have to worry about me being alone in the "big city" when she and Emmett moved to the suburbs to start squirting out young'uns. I chuckled to myself imaging Rose waist deep in diapers and baby barf.<p>

Rolling over I decided to reach for my laptop, thinking that maybe browsing some tumblr porn would help me relax. After several minutes of seeing nothing worth my while, I click the saved link to my favorite porn site. Choosing an interesting title of Josh and Jared: Open House, I settled back to unwind.

The images on my screen helped my mind forget earlier thoughts. As I watched the two men on the screen begin to pant, my hand wandered under my shirt. I started gently, just brushing my fingers across my suddenly hard tips. Just that one motion caused a shiver to run through my body. It'd been too long since I last had release. Removing my shirt for better access, I was completely bare in my bed. Using both hands I increased the pressure on my nipples, pinching and pulling. I could feel the ache build between my legs and continue teasing my breasts. Keeping my eyes on the two beautiful men on the screen, I reached with one hand to my bedside drawer, grabbing my vibrator, and laid it next to me for convenience. With one hand on my breast I slowly moved my other hand to my now sore center. At the first brush of contact a moan escaped my lips. I was incredibly sensitive and wet. I rubbed my fingers firmly over my lips making contact with my clit. Not wasting any more time I inserted two fingers into my pussy. Removing my fingers from my nipple I grabbed my vibrator. I reached between my legs, keeping the vibrations low, brushing the smooth tip against my now swollen bundle of nerves. Arching off the bed at contact I started to move my hips with rhythm. Flicking my thumb over the dial I increased the speed and the strength against my body. Trying to keep my eyes open to see the two men take and give from each other spurred my own climax. I cummed with an intensity I hadn't experienced with a man in over a year.

So relaxed, I didn't even bother to pull my shirt back on, besides I was alone in my home. Making myself comfortable, my mind quieted as I started to drift. I mumbled to no one, "I'm completely happy," but even in my semi-unconscious state I didn't believe it.

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><p>You can stalk us on twitter! (a) LucyLiterate and (a) marianazapata_<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

AN: It has finally arrived, chapter 4! Sorry for the delay, life has not been gentle to me since the new year. As always a big thank you to or pre-reader Zoe and our beta Lisa. I would also like to encourage everyone to check out the other stories by Mariana. They are wonderful, just like the author! Love, Lucy

Mariana: Everyone should know that I love Lucy (I giggled writing that). On another note, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU, PACKY!

Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight but we do own Bikeward!

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><p>Glancing at the clock, I realized it was only a quarter 'til nine; I pulled at my hair, nervously waiting for my appointment in fifteen minutes. My two newest employees, James Foster and Riley Stevens, were due to arrive for a walk-through of the business and to file all the necessary paperwork needed to make their employment official. For most business owners this was not a big deal, but for me it was huge. The only employees I had were trusted family and friends. Even Eric, the sometimes healthy, part-time guy was well-known to my family. I was both proud and extremely scared about this new addition to the business. Obviously it was great that I needed more workers, but the idea of depending on someone I don't know and certainly don't trust yet had my stomach in knots. The sudden light tapping at my door was the only thing between a full panic attack and me.<p>

"Come in," I stated with authority, though I felt more like a kid in the principal's office. Esme stuck her head in with a smile and chuckled silently as I wiped my sweaty palms on my trousers. I had the unfortunate task of dressing up for today's activities. I was hoping my gray button-down didn't show my pit stains.

"Have I told you today that you look nice?" Her attempt to calm my nerves was sweet and motherly, but completely ineffective.

"Ah, no, you didn't, thanks though. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing important. I just thought I would give you this flyer that came in the mail today and see what your plans were for the weekend."

The bright, colored flyer she handed me was for local businesses that wanted to participate in a clean up along some on the area waterfront property. It was a great way to network with new businesses in the area and re-establish ties with older companies. Not to mention the overall good work that would be done for the environment.

"Thanks," I told her. "We will definitely be signing up for this."

"I figured as much. So… I know we just had you for dinner a couple nights ago, but I was wondering if you wanted to join us again on Saturday?"

"Sure. What's the occasion?"

"Nothing really. Ever since we moved to the larger house, we haven't had much company, and I thought before the weather started to get too cold, it would be nice to take advantage of our new barbeque pit in the back. Carlisle mentioned inviting a few friends from his work, that sort of thing."

"Sounds like a good time; Want me to bring anything?"

"Just you and maybe a date, if you have one." Her smile doubled in size at her sneaky comment; She knew I wasn't dating anyone. I'm sure there would be a few single ladies she would attempt to pawn me off on come Saturday. Because it's her, I don't mind too much. Esme is the sister I never wanted, but now that I have her in my life, I do my best not to disappoint. Though, the idea of having a date for dinner did bring a certain brunette to mind.

I had been meaning to mention Bella to Esme. Maybe she has some information on the cute architect, She knows everything about our clients, especially the frequent ones. Just as I opened my mouth to ask, the doorbell rang and announced the arrival of my morning appointment.

As James and Riley finalized their tax information in the break room, I daydreamed about my business. I'm really happy with my decision to hire them, despite my earlier panic. James is a full-time college student looking for part-time work. His schedule is almost the opposite of Eric's, so scheduling will be easy. We might even be able to expand our hours for weekend deliveries since both he and Eric are available on Saturday and Sunday. Riley, with his excellent references, has experience in small business and accounting. If things work out as planned, he'll eventually be in charge of the company's finances; Of course, that all depends on me keeping my mental stability.

I still wish Esme had taken me up on the opportunity. Unfortunately, for me, my brother and sister-in-law are planning on starting a family, and the added stress of running a business wasn't something she was interested in. I envied them and their relationship. When they met in college, Esme hated my brother. She thought him to be a pompous ass. It didn't help that he was. He pursued her though with a determination I had never seen, certain that they were destined to be together. It was only after he found her alongside the road in the pouring rain with a flat tire did she even bother to speak more than a few words to him. That thirty minute drive changed their lives completely.

"All right, man, I think I'm finished." James stood up and handed me his paper work.

"Great, be here tomorrow at one to start your shift."

"Thanks, man." He shook my hand and headed out the door.

"I'm finished as well," Riley said.

"Okay, if you don't mind, I'd like to go over the computer system with you and how we do billing— that kind of thing."

" Yeah, that'd be fine." As we headed to my office, I prayed to wrap this up by lunch.

"Hey, Edward?" I heard as I was rinsing out my bowl from lunch. Riley had left about an hour ago, leaving just Esme and me, since Jasper had the day off.

"In the break room," I shouted. "I just finished lunch."

Esme walked up, holding a slip for a delivery. Eric was out, so unless it was along his route, I was about to hit the streets.

"Masen Peter just called, they have a rush pick up and drop off. Want me to call Eric? I think he's heading that way."

Just as I was about to tell her to call him, I realized exactly what she said. Masen Peter was the firm where I saw Bella, maybe the delivery was for her again. Suddenly I was all too excited to ride.

"No, I'll do it. I need to get some fresh air. Stretch my legs, that sort of thing."

Esme gave me an odd look with one brow arched but just shrugged her shoulders and handed over the order form.

"You gonna change before you go, or do we have a new dress code for the bikers?" she teased.

Looking down at my attire, I was torn. While I would like to make a good impression, especially if I did see Bella, I knew I'd look ridiculous riding in the semi-wet weather in dress slacks and a shirt. I decided to change into my longer rider pants and a fitted Under Armor that repelled water. I grabbed my helmet and bag while heading toward the door.

I made it to MP in less than fifteen minutes, before jogging up the stairs and entering the lobby. Leaning my bike against the wall, I rang the buzzer.

"Masen Peter, how can I help you?" the voice I recognized as Rosalie's answered. Her no-nonsense, icy tone was unmistakable. I let her know who it was, and without responding, she was on her way. All too soon, I heard her heels clicking against the floor. I made the decision to casually ask for some information on Bella.

"Is this for Emmett?" I asked as I glanced over at the rolls she was labeling.

"Yes, she answered with no more information. "Why do you want to know?" Caught slightly off guard, I could only open and close my mouth like a fish gasping for air.

"I think someone else handed over Emmett's package before." My voice sqeaked out, trying not to be too obvious. I knew that look on Rosalie's face; Esme has exactly the same one. Busted!

"If you were wondering if Bella needed these dropped off or were hoping she would be here when you arrived, I'm sorry to disappoint." The smirk she wore relaxed me.

"Now why would I want to know that? You know I'm just curious by nature." Rose and I were not close friends, but I did play poker and basketball with Emmett from time to time, so we weren't exactly strangers either. As a matter of fact, I believe I'd heard Esme mention that Rose was in her yoga class.

"I don't know. You just looked like I kicked your puppy when you saw me come around the corner. And I saw you making eyes at her last week. I just assumed since you're here again, and since you rarely make deliveries on Fridays, there must be a special reason for your appearance. But I've have been wrong before."

"Well, now that you mention it, I wouldn't mind any information you would be willing to share with me about this Bella you work with." I knew Rose wouldn't give anything to me. From what I've heard Emmett say about her, she's fiercely protective and loyal to her friends.

"She works here, she's incredibly talented, and she happened to take the afternoon off. Beyond that, you get nothing."

"I could have deduced some of that information myself." I deadpanned. "I'm not looking to stalk her. I just thought she seemed… unique." While that probably wasn't the most flattering compliment a woman could receive, I knew there was more to her than just a great body and a killer smile. Obviously, she must be clever to be working at such a prestigious firm, but it was something about her eyes that seemed warm and sincere.

"She's wonderful and very single," was all Rose said as she handed me the receipt for payment and walked away. I yelled a thank you, only getting a wave in response as she rounded the corner back to her office. Single was certainly something good to know; Now I just needed to find a way to meet up with her.

I was halfway back to the office when the rain started coming down so hard I had to stop riding. Visibility was gone and I was drenched. Lucky for me, the Seattle Public Library was warm, dry, and right in front of me. I pulled my bike into the first set of double doors, thankful there was enough room for it to fit without causing any problems for people leaving. I grabbed the towel I kept in my bag for incidents like this and dried off the best I could. Once I was certain no puddles would start at my feet, I headed into the warm bookshelves. I made a beeline for my favorite section of literature and fiction, keeping an eye on the windows. I found a book I had been meaning to pick up but hadn't had the time. Sitting down in one of the overstuffed chairs, I sent Esme a quick text, letting her know where I was and to call if she needed anything. I opened my book and quickly got lost in the pages.

Minutes later, I sensed that someone had sat down in the chair across from mine. Rather than look up, I continued reading. Just as I turned the page, I heard a quiet yet determined voice.

"It's Edward, right?"

I glanced up to see none other than the beautiful woman who captivated me days before.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guys! I'm so, so sorry it's taken for long for the next chapter *hides* A million thanks to our prereader, Zoe, and beta, HollettLA, for their help. xo. Mariana_

**As always, thanks so much for reading. Hope to hear the good and bad from you. Sorry I have been a fail at responding to reviews. I do read each and every one. I'm so new at this whole posting thing responding completely slips my mind. I will get better at it! **

**Love to you all, Lucy**

Disclaimer: We don't own Twilight but Greenward is ours.

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><p>I have a middle name and it's Marie.<p>

It has never, under any circumstances, been Brave.

My handful of friends liked to joke that I was driven and almost disconnected from humanity when I had my mind set on something. In the past, it was things like getting good grades, passing my exams, stuff like that. Right now, my career was what I focused all of my attention on. I know that other aspects of my life suffered because of how I managed to zone out, but I didn't care.

Maybe, in hindsight, I never had a good enough distraction worthy of tearing myself away from my goals.

The sexy-as-hell messenger who had been in my office what felt like ages ago was sitting in the library just a few feet away from me, and I was completely incapable of pulling my eyes away from him. When and where did God decide that he could create a man like that and let him roam around the world freely? I don't even think I was being sneaky about ogling him. In a black shirt that fit him like a second skin and the tightest Under Armour pants in existence which showed off the mass of leg muscle beneath them, my mouth literally watered.

But I kept standing there like a coward, holding the same two books I'd been browsing for ideas on ancient architecture. Something overcame me then, reminding me of how long I'd lived in Seattle and how I still didn't have very many friends. My heart and mind were in agreement because the next thing I knew, I was walking toward the could-be Calvin Klein model with my hands squeezed together and breathing far faster than was normal.

"Edward, right?" I asked in a breath that sounded foreign and surprisingly controlled even to my own ears when I stopped and sat down by him.

The dark mess of hair moved, and I realized that he was _wet._

Oh, fuck me now. He was wet. Wet. Wet.

He smiled at me, this large pull of lips, cheeks, and pearly white teeth that could make a happily married woman commit adultery. "Hi, Bella."

I don't know how I managed to pull my gaze from his damp locks and back to his face again, but I did. Somehow I managed to smile, too. "What are you doing here?" I blurted out before grimacing. I sounded like an idiot. My face heated up and rubbed my hand up and down my forehead, laughing nervously. He smiled at me, looking all too amused at my blabbering. "Obviously reading a book, right?" I gestured toward the novel he had in his lap.

I had no business looking at his lap, honestly.

Edward lifted up the book to show me the cover, and I vaguely recognized the title. "I've been meaning to read it, but I haven't had the time," he explained. His beautiful face twisted to look out the window behind him, giving an open view of the downpour going on outside. When he turned back to face me, he gave me another sweet smile.

"Did you get caught in the rain?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I was actually just at Masen Peter doing a delivery when it started pouring, so I stopped in here to get out of the rain. Are you—," his soft, green gaze flitted to my skirt and tight blouse before going back up to my eyes, "still working?"

It was my turn to nod at him in return. "I just needed some information for a new project I'm working on. I need to bring one of the lead architects a couple of books on Greek and Roman architecture for him to brush up on." I couldn't help but roll my eyes, thinking about the man who had asked me to run the errand. "He's an idiot."

Edward laughed, this beautiful, deep sound that made my insides churn in happiness. When in the world did laughs become so pretty? My grandmother used to tell me that I laughed like a man, and I knew damn well that I didn't laugh like _this_ man. "You look like you could hold your own. How long have you worked there?"

The next few minutes breezed by much faster than I would've liked. I explained to him that I'd only lived in Seattle for a few months, and he asked where I used to live, so I told him about California and my longtime relationship with the state. "I figured I needed a change after living there for so long."

He raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze to my throat quickly. "Is your family still there?"

My heart kind of hurt at the mention of my family, reminding me that I only had my dad left. Some people had tons of extended family. I had none. Not even a single cousin to claim. The shake of my head was probably a little more morbid than it should have been for a first-time conversation. "No, it's just my dad now."

"Your mom?" he asked softly like his words could shatter the imaginary glass that enclosed those past wounds.

"She passed away when I was really little; that's why we moved to California. My grandma helped my dad raise me." I smiled to try and break the somber tension that had come over our little bubble for a moment. "You?"

Edward smiled, this blindly beautiful thing that told stories about the relationship he had with his parents, I could only assume. "My parents are in Uruguay right now. My dad's a member of Doctors Without Borders, and my mom tags along to help."

"Well, that's neat. You're close to them?" He nodded in response. "Are you from Seattle?" I asked, wanting to keep the conversation going, even though I knew that I needed to get going soon.

"Born and raised," he grinned, setting his book down on the side table next to him. "I've lived here my entire life, give or take a few months when I went to college in Tacoma."

I frowned, feeling like a stranger since I didn't know any schools in Tacoma. Heck, I don't think I knew of any schools in Washington in general. "You didn't like it there?"

"Not at all," he shrugged, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "I realized that I didn't like school period, no matter where I went, so I moved back here."

"Ahh, I've always liked school." I nodded, feeling like a nerd. "That's pretty dorky, isn't it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "No. If it was anyone else, I'd probably say yes," Edward grinned at the same time, and I thought I'd melt into the huge chair.

_Was that a compliment?_ Even if it wasn't, I still blushed. "And now you like being a messenger?" I asked while trying to discreetly eye his thick thighs.

"Yeah, even if I don't get to do it as much as I used to. I'd much rather ride my bike around the entire day than have to sit in my office doing paperwork," he groaned. "But I like being my own boss, so it's worth it, even if I'm constantly stressed."

His words processed through my head slowly. He was his own boss? I realized that I didn't know anything about Green Couriers and wondered if I would sound like a moron if I asked him if he owned the company. "Green is yours?" I asked as delicately as I possibly could.

Edward nodded eagerly, full of pride that made me smile. "It's my baby."

I opened my mouth to ask him about Green, but my phone started ringing at the same time. Eyeing the beautiful man sitting across the chair from mine, I dug through my purse and pulled out my phone. Seeing Mike Newton's name flash across the screen, I groaned, knowing he was calling to see where I was with his books. Hitting the ignore button, I tossed my phone back into my purse and collected the books I had on my legs. "I need to get going. The idiot at work is calling because he probably wants his books."

"I got'cha," he replied, looking over his shoulder again to see the rain pummeling against the glass. "I'm going to stay here until the rain lets up a little."

The words poured from my mouth before I even realized it. "Will your bike fit in my Civic? I can give you a ride if you want." What seemed strange to me was that I was offering this man I barely knew a ride when I was the type of person who wouldn't even answer the phone when an unknown number called. I wondered if his good looks had some sort of voodoo magic that they tapped into.

Edward smiled, this smug grin that looked too pleased with my outburst and offer. "I'd love one, but I didn't bring the tool to break my bike down so it won't fit in your car. Thank you though."

I shrugged and stood up, brushing off the slight disappointment that huddled in the pit of my belly. My best option at that point, both to save face with the handsome man and also keep my job, would be to hightail it back to Masen headquarters. I could only imagine Mike Newton's whiny voice when I saw him. "I should go then. It was nice seeing you."

"It was nice seeing you too, Bella," he responded softly.

"See you." I'd barely taken a step backward when his low voice pierced the air.

"Bella!" he whispered loudly, trying to be conscientious that we were in the library. I stopped and looked at him again. He was sitting on the very edge of the overstuffed chair. "I hope I'm not being too forward, but do you have plans for this Saturday?"

I don't think I'd ever thought so fast in my life, not even when I took the SATs. My brain racked for confirmation that I didn't have plans when I suddenly remembered that I did. _Shit!_ I wanted to tell him no, but I couldn't. I hated going back on my word, and even the perfect, sharp jaw in front of me couldn't get me to budge, so I sighed. "I have dinner plans with a friend," I mumbled, thinking of Esme and her sweet face inviting me to her house at our last yoga class.

Edward tried so hard not to frown, but I could still see the flicker of defeat in his eyes. "Another time then," he said with a gentle smile.

"Another time," I repeated to him before waving and hauling butt out of the library.

My heart started beating so fast, a sorrowful reminder that I hated giving my word sometimes. Rosalie would have my ass for telling a hot guy that I was already going to do something when he gave me the impression that I might get a date out of it. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd gone out. Self-pity flooded my stomach while I made my way back to Masen Peter. I wasn't used to the feeling at all. Usually I had no problem sacrificing things, but all of a sudden I did.

Rosalie eyed me as I walked past her desk to go drop off the books with "The Newt," as he liked to call himself. She held up her finger to stop me right before I made my way around. "Why do you look like you just got a C on your homework?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows.

I snickered, reminding myself never to tell her about the saddest moments of my life. One of those was when I'd gotten a C for the first time ever in my Urban Environments class. The bitch had laughed when I told her that and told me she lived by the creed, _C's get degrees. _"I'm fine," I told her.

"Oh please," she scoffed. Her blue eyes narrowed in my direction. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I insisted.

"PYT, you better tell me this instant what crawled up your ass and died. Only one of us gets to be a bitch, and I have that job full-time, baby."

I couldn't help but laugh, feeling my shoulders relax a little. I didn't even realize that I was tense, but I guess that's how bothered I was. Sighing, I held the books close to me. "You know that other delivery guy? Edward?" She nodded. "I saw him at the library, and I think he was going to ask me out on a date for Saturday, but I already have plans. I'm going to Esme's dinner party."

Esme was a woman who Rosalie was friends with at our yoga class. They were friendly, but I wasn't sure exactly how they knew each other so well. The few minutes we had to talk before and after class weren't enough to explain their loose friendship.

Rosalie smirked, looking all too sneaky. "Did he?" She made a "hmmph" noise in her throat, smirking even more. I briefly felt like my life was in danger as the look on her face was too devious for anyone's own good. "Well, if he wants to see you and it's meant to be, then I'm sure he'll find a way to make plans with you another day."

Feeling annoyed, I shrugged and walked off, leaving Rosalie to wallow in whatever sneaky mood she was in. Mike Newton's desk was just a few feet away, and he stood hunched over his drafting table. In his early thirties and too old to be wearing such a tight button-up shirt and khaki pants, I grimaced when he shot me a sloppy smile. "I'm glad you made it back, Bella. I thought I was going to have to send the Marines out to look for you."

"No worries," I whistled out, dropping the two books onto the edge of his table. "Here's what you asked for." Under normal circumstances, I would've told him to let me know if he needed me to make copies of anything, but I was too frustrated to do so.

Mike flashed a grin at me, opening up the books before taking a seat at his cluttered desk. "I'm going to need your help so we don't have to come in on Saturday to finish it."

A bitter taste filled my mouth thinking about Saturday, and I could only blame the green-eyed man with drool-worthy thighs for my frustrations with the day.

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><p>Andddd because this is the only story that hasn't gotten a rant about my story, Lingus... *rings bells* is available for Kindle on Amazon and Nook through Barnes and Noble! Yay! If you're interested, please check it out here: http :  www(dot)amazon(dot)com/Lingus-ebook/dp/B007C8IFXW


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi guys. I'm sorry it's taken me so long. A big thank you to our new prereader Haley, and the magnificent, HollettLA, for their help. Enjoy! xo-Mariana**

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><p>Why was is it that every time I <em>really<em> needed something, I couldn't find it?

My head had been pounding all day. From the moment I'd woken up, I had started battling a dull throb that quickly intensified to a pain that could only be compared to an earthquake in my skull, all in a matter of a couple of hours. For some reason, there wasn't a single bottle of Excedrin, Advil, or even any generic kind of pain killer around. I usually didn't take any medicine if I could avoid it, but I couldn't anymore. I wanted to throw up and specifically aim at Jasper if possible.

"You all right, boss?" Riley asked from his spot at the door frame. He was holding a file underneath one arm while he frowned in my direction.

The lights in my office were dimmed, and I'm sure my face was so pale I could've passed for a ghost. "I have a migraine," I mumbled and even then my words sounded too loud in my ears.

"You don't have any Tylenol on you?"

I settled on a grunt to answer his question. All I wanted to do was throw up or saw off my head, whichever got the job done quicker.

"Want me to take you home?"

I wanted to tell him _no,_ but I couldn't. I couldn't remember ever having a headache that bad, and it was pretty useless for me to stay at Green if I wouldn't be able to get anything done. Riley had been inputting the amounts to our weekly balance sheet while I'd been moping around. Even though he hadn't been with us for longer than two weeks, I already felt a lot better having his help around the office for little things that I'd rather not deal with.

Knowing I could go home right then, on a Friday of all days, felt like a weight off my shoulders. So I didn't hesitate more than a second before telling him, "Yes." There was no way in hell I'd be able to ride all the way back home with the way I was feeling. I'd probably pass out or throw up on someone who wasn't my best friend and wouldn't easily forgive me for it. Grabbing my helmet, messenger bag, and keys, I moved like a zombie through the long hallway toward the reception area where Riley would meet me.

"Edward," Esme whined from her spot behind her desk. "Do you want me to call Carlisle?"

I couldn't even bother to shake my head. "No, Riley is taking me home. Can you close up tonight, please?"

"Of course." She made a humming noise in her throat before piping up again, "You're coming tomorrow though, right? As long as you're feeling better?"

The faint reminder that I'd agreed to go to her house for a dinner party the next day swam through my brain softly. "I'll be there, Es."

"Are you bringing a _date?_" she asked with so much hope in her voice that it would make me go running to find one—if I hadn't already—just to avoid disappointing her.

Not that anyone could really count Tanya Denali as a real date, but Esme didn't have to know that was who I was bringing over.

"I am," I muttered, squeezing my eyes closed while she squealed in excitement.

The door to the office opened when I had them closed, and I heard a voice make a groaning noise of disapproval in my direction.

"What the hell is wrong with you, bro?" Jasper's all too familiar voice questioned from a few feet away. "You look like shit."

"He has a migraine, Jasper. Don't be a dick." Esme chastised him in a soft voice that didn't make me cringe. An angel, she truly was an angel.

"Pussy," he snickered.

It was a sign of how crappy I felt that I couldn't bring myself to respond. Riley tapped my elbow to let me know he was ready, and I just waved a goodbye to my sister-in-law and best friend. It was only when I knew we were close to my two-bedroom apartment that I let myself do more than give him directions to my place. I asked him to finish a couple of things I needed done before the weekend, and then walked into my apartment where I passed out on and off for the next fifteen hours. The lights were off and I found myself only getting up to drink water and pee. The pain in my head had gotten a little bit better before I felt well enough to eat something.

I took it easy that day and hung around my apartment, cleaning my bathroom with products that—thank you, Jesus—were green products and didn't really smell. I finished my laundry and read some of the books I'd picked up at the library the day that I saw Bella.

Bella.

Bella and her long, brown hair and perfect, pretty face. I could honestly say that I was really disappointed she couldn't come with me tonight to Esme's. I don't think that I'd imagined that there was something between us that day. When she'd said she couldn't go, it felt like someone had let out the air of the tires on my bike. I had the dinner on the top of my mind when I'd stopped at Brandon and Denali, my accountants' office, on the way back from the library.

Alice Brandon and Tanya Denali had been my accountants from the moment I even thought of starting Green Couriers. I'd met Alice back when I was going to school in Tacoma, and even though I'd quit the program, she'd stuck it out and finished her accounting degree. Little did either one of us know, but she'd meet Tanya Denali after her final CPA exam and according to Alice, it was "love at first breast." Not that I really found her that attractive, but Tanya's tits were larger than my head. The girls had been together ever since.

It was a complete accident that I even brought up Esme's dinner party to them, but Alice was on my ass about finding growing old and alone when I told her about Bella in passing and how she'd declined my invitation. Instead, she pawned Tanya off on me and told me to have a good time.

Tanya.

The simple mention of her name could make a hard-core feminist cower in fear. At six-feet tall, with a classical face and a figure that would make any man weep, she was the epitome of beautiful. Until you got to know her.

Tanya had the worst temper I'd ever seen. She was pushy, bossy, vicious, self-righteous, and just a pain in the ass. She didn't take shit from anyone and would rip assholes left and right when things didn't go her way. Like the time I'd gone out to celebrate her birthday with Alice and Jasper. The waiter had messed up Alice's order, and Tanya had thrown the biggest fit in the universe. Needless to say, that was the last time I went out with them. I liked a woman who knew what she wanted, but Tanya could possibly turn me off from women for the rest of my life if I hung out with her long enough.

I really didn't see what Alice loved about her but I related to her as a female Shrek. Someone had to love the woman buried deep, deep, _deep_ underneath her snappy attitude.

Yet, I'd somehow gotten set up to go do something with her. Alone. I was going to have to remember this incident when Alice's birthday came along.

We'd agreed that she could pick me up at my apartment because the chances of rain were pretty high that day, and I'd try to get Carlisle to drive me back or I'd catch a cab. At six-fifteen, I heard a car honk from the street and I ran out. Tanya was sitting behind the wheel of her brand new Chevy Volt, tapping her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.

"Hi Ed-nerd," she greeted me as soon as I slid into the seat.

I rolled my eyes before leaning over her console to give her a one-armed hug. "Thanks for coming with me."

She sighed before waving a hand in the air dismissively, putting the car into drive. "Yeah, yeah. You're welcome. Where are we going?"

It should be noted that I definitely preferred Alice over Tanya. They were polar opposites in every way possible, but I think that's why they worked out. I couldn't imagine someone with less patience than Alice dealing with the reddish-blonde next to me.

"Is your right hand still going strong?" she laughed a few minutes into the drive.

Scowling, I shook my head and looked away. It seemed like every female in my life was all too aware that I hadn't been in a relationship in a while. The only difference was that Esme at least had a little more class than Tanya on that subject. "Jesus. None of your business."

Tanya laughed. "What? It's a legitimate question. Don't be so uptight." She did some weird shimmy thing with her shoulders to the music on the radio before smirking. "But I guess that makes a ton of sense if you're working out that right hand religiously."

I groaned and ignored her the rest of the way to the house. Luckily they only lived about ten miles away so we made it in no time. I noticed that there was only one other car in the driveway since Esme and Carlisle parked their hybrids in the garage. I got out of the car and met Tanya by the trunk where she slipped her hand into the crook of my elbow and we walked toward the house. We didn't even need to knock before the door was flung open and Esme stood there, smiling brightly at me before looking in the direction of my "date." Her expression deflated right as she smirked.

"Edward, Tanya."

I really couldn't help but snicker at the defeated look on Esme's face. She knew Tanya just as well as I did. She knew that there was a better chance of her getting hit on than there was of me getting hit on tonight. Actually, I'd probably be the last person that Tanya would ever even consider procreating with. She had a thing against gingers, and the fact that I had a dick gave me two strikes against my name.

My sister-in-law ushered us in, waving us toward the living room where Carlisle was sitting with their dog on his lap.

"Baby brother." He smiled as he pushed their overweight, panting English Bulldog off his lap.

Carlisle, my brother who looked like a mirror image of our mom, came toward me to give me a hug. We'd always gotten along really well, despite the fact that he was four—or was it five?—years older than me. Now that our parents were off enjoying their lives without us, he was my only family and we tried to see each other as often as possible.

"Hey," I told him, slapping his back gently.

Tanya came into the room, greeting Carlisle with a hug and a kiss, which was a lot more than I'd gotten. I wondered why I'd even bothered bringing her if she was going to treat everyone better than me. Soon enough, she wandered off with Esme to do God knows what in the kitchen, leaving my brother and me alone to talk about how Green was going and giving me a chance to tell him about how Riley and James were doing. It was mindless; Esme had told him everything. He probably knew more about my newest employees than I did since she had gotten to know them better than I did.

"I like your date," he chuckled with a smirk.

I groaned. "Blame your wife. I didn't want to get surprised coming over and having an arranged marriage set up."

Carlisle laughed. "Too late. She's been saving for your dowry for a while."

The doorbell rang, and Esme scurried over to the door, opening it up before she squealed. I recognized the low, deep sound of Emmett's voice coming from the foyer. We'd been friends for the last few years, but it wasn't often enough that I got to see him. Carlisle and I got up and—_holy shit_.

"Edward?" the pretty brunette standing at the entrance to the living room asked.

I blinked twice, making sure I wasn't imagining Bella standing there in a simple, navy dress with those wide, coffee-colored eyes locked on me in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly.

I smiled at her bluntness, reminding me of the first time we'd met. "I'm here for dinner." Pointing at Carlisle, who was standing right next to me, I smiled even bigger. "This is my brother."

Bella smiled, biting her lip as she took a couple steps closer. "I know Esme," she explained. "We yoga together." She hesitated. "Well, we go to yoga together."

My brother cleared his throat and closed the distance between himself and Bella, extending a hand out in her direction. "He doesn't have any manners, I'm sorry. I'm Carlisle, Esme's husband."

When she took his hand, her eyes darted over to me. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Bella."

"You two know each other?" he asked, glancing back and forth between Bella and me.

"Bella works for Emmett," I explained to him. He already knew that I delivered for Masen Peter.

He nodded but Emmett and Rosalie walked in right then, exclaiming a "hello" to my brother. I can't really even remember us greeting each other because I was busy looking at Bella the entire time. She was smiling, but by the twitch in her jaw, I could tell she was trying to rein it in for whatever reason. Each time she caught me looking at her, she'd smile even bigger for a split second before containing it.

"This is so weird," she whispered to me the moment she had a chance to side-step her way toward me.

I nodded and grinned. "Yeah, it is." My eyes grazed down the curve of her hip, over the soft-looking material of her dress, and down to the long legs that peeked out from the bottom. "You look really pretty."

Bella blushed a shade of red that seemed completely unnatural. "Thank you," she replied in a soft voice. "You look, umm, really handsome, too." Her voice went slightly higher at the end, eyes darting in the opposite direction of where I was.

God, this girl was just too fucking cute for her own good. "Thanks. I would've dressed up nicer if I would've known you'd be here, though."

Her eyes went wider as she sucked in a breath of air. "I—well—thank you?"

"I'm glad you're here, you should see—"

Tanya bounded into the living room then, holding a glass of red wine in one hand and a glass of water in the other. "Ed-nerd, want to share this wine with me? I can't drink it all. If I do, we're spending the night here."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bella flinch at Tanya's words.

"No thanks. I can drive us back if you want to, and then Alice can come pick you up." I offered the worst date in the universe, looking at Bella's tight face the entire time.

"You aren't any fun." She made a face at me before catching sight of the female standing next to me.

"Bella? This is my friend, Tanya." I said, introducing her to the blonde in front of me. "Tanya, this is Bella," I finished. I didn't want to call her my _friend_ because there definitely wasn't anything friendly about the way I thought of Bella, and I remembered that she probably overheard my conversation with Alice about her.

Tanya grinned, extending her hand. "Nice to meet you, Bella."

"Oh, nice to meet you too," she replied.

A sip of red wine later, Tanya was ducking her head in toward Bella. "Are you straight?"

You've got to be kidding me.

* * *

><p><strong>As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I know I did! I can't say enough now much I love writing with Mariana. Check out her other stories, they are all fabulous. See you soon, XOXOX Lucy :-)<strong>


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